B-196951, JAN 28, 1980
Highlights
DIGEST: EMPLOYEE WAS REIMBURSED ON A COMMUTED RATE BASIS FOR MOVEMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS ON A CHANGE OF STATION AND SUBMITTED AN ADDITIONAL BILL FOR COST OF RENTING A U-HAUL TRAILER. MALONE - HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVEMENT - COMMUTED RATE: THE ISSUE PRESENTED IN THIS CASE IS WHETHER AN EMPLOYEE MAY BE REIMBURSED THE COST OF RENTING A TRAILER WHEN HE HAS BEEN PAID ON A COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM FOR MOVEMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS ON A CHANGE OF DUTY STATION. THE ANSWER IS NO. THE MATTER IS PRESENTED HERE UPON A LETTER FROM LENA M. WAS TRANSFERRED FROM PEORIA. MALONE WAS PAID A COMMUTED RATE IN THE AMOUNT OF $584.45. THE COST OF RENTING THE TRAILER IN THE AMOUNT OF $107 WAS DISALLOWED. PARA. 2-8.3A(1) REFERS ONLY TO THE MERE MOVEMENT AND NOT TO THE LEASE EXPENSES OF THE VEHICLE ITSELF WHICH IS IN ADDITION TO VARIOUS LOADING.
B-196951, JAN 28, 1980
DIGEST: EMPLOYEE WAS REIMBURSED ON A COMMUTED RATE BASIS FOR MOVEMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS ON A CHANGE OF STATION AND SUBMITTED AN ADDITIONAL BILL FOR COST OF RENTING A U-HAUL TRAILER. REIMBURSEMENT FOR COST OF U-HAUL NOT ALLOWED SINCE PAYMENT ON COMMUTED RATE INCLUDES COST OF TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER ACCESSORIAL CHARGES.
JAMES F. MALONE - HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVEMENT - COMMUTED RATE:
THE ISSUE PRESENTED IN THIS CASE IS WHETHER AN EMPLOYEE MAY BE REIMBURSED THE COST OF RENTING A TRAILER WHEN HE HAS BEEN PAID ON A COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM FOR MOVEMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS ON A CHANGE OF DUTY STATION. THE ANSWER IS NO.
THE MATTER IS PRESENTED HERE UPON A LETTER FROM LENA M. JONES, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C.
JAMES F. MALONE, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, WAS TRANSFERRED FROM PEORIA, ILLINOIS, TO WASHINGTON, D. C. HE TRANSPORTED HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS BY MEANS OF A RENTED TRAILER. MR. MALONE WAS PAID A COMMUTED RATE IN THE AMOUNT OF $584.45. THE COST OF RENTING THE TRAILER IN THE AMOUNT OF $107 WAS DISALLOWED.
MR. MALONE SUBMITTED A RECLAIM VOUCHER ON WHICH HE ASSERTS THAT "LINE- HAUL TRANSPORTATION" REFERRED TO IN THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS, PARA. 2-8.3A(1) REFERS ONLY TO THE MERE MOVEMENT AND NOT TO THE LEASE EXPENSES OF THE VEHICLE ITSELF WHICH IS IN ADDITION TO VARIOUS LOADING, TRANSPORTATION, AND SUBSEQUENT UNLOADING OF THE CARRIER.
THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM FOR MOVEMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS IS AUTHORIZED BY 5 U.S.C. 5724(C) (1976), AND IS IMPLEMENTED BY THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS (FTR) (FPMR 101-7, MAY 1973). PARAGRAPH 2 8.3A(1) OF THE FTR PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART:
"*** THE COMMUTED RATE INCLUDES COSTS OF LINEHAUL TRANSPORTATION, PACKING, CRATING, UNPACKING, DRAYAGE INCIDENT TO TRANSPORTATION, AND OTHER ACCESSORIAL CHARGES. ***"
WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY HELD THAT NEITHER THE LAW NOR REGULATIONS AUTHORIZE CONSIDERATION OF ANY ADDITIONAL EXPENSES INCURRED IN EXCESS OF REIMBURSEMENT ON THE COMMUTED RATE BASIS WHEN HOUSEHOLD GOODS ARE SHIPPED UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE BASIS SYSTEM. B-173357, JULY 14, 1971, AND B-172017, MARCH 16, 1971. EXPENSES OF TRANSPORTATION ARE DEEMED COMPENSATED BY PAYMENT THEREFOR ON A COMMUTED RATE BASIS. THE FACT THAT A PARTICULAR EMPLOYEE'S ACTUAL TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES MAY EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF HIS ENTITLEMENT DETERMINED ON A COMMUTED RATE BASIS DOES NOT ENTITLE HIM TO ADDITIONAL PAYMENT. B-178234, JUNE 18, 1974, AND B-178505, JUNE 27, 1973.
THEREFORE, MR. MALONE WAS PROPERLY REIMBURSED BY THE GOVERNMENT ON THE COMMUTED RATE BASIS AND THERE IS NO AUTHORITY FOR REIMBURSING HIM FOR THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES INCURRED.
ACCORDINGLY, THE VOUCHER MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT AND WILL BE RETAINED HERE.